Effective August 1, 2022, all adult passport renewal applications must be processed bymail through the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro. Passports for U.S. citizens over the age of 16 can no longer be renewed in person at the U.S. Consulate in São Paulo.
The U.S. Consulate has created this helpful document to show what paperwork and photos you need to renew your passport, as well as the specifics on payment procedures and the mailing address for passport shipment.
But for me the problem is a bit more basic. I know how to call a motoboy to deliver documents across São Paulo, or find a Fed-Ex or DHL location to ship documents back to the U.S. But shipping items within Brazil via the Brazilian Correios? It’s something I have never actually done.
All passports must be shipped through the Brazilian Correios and should be sent via Sedex so you can track it.
This step by step guide has been created to help novices like me successfully navigate the postal system to renew their U.S. passport.
Step 1
Find your nearest post office in São Paulo. (Post offices are called correios in Portuguese.)
Step 2
Go to the Correios and mail your documents to the U.S. Consulate in Rio. Correios are open 9am to 5pm in São Paulo, Monday through Friday.
When you arrive at the Correios, ask to send your documents via Sedex. Sedex is an express mail system that is similar to registered mail in the U.S. A tracking number is provided so that you can confirm when the documents arrive at the U.S. Consulate in Rio.
Please note, the U.S. Consulate passport renewal does not work with other companies such as FED-Ex or DHL. All passports must be shipped through the Brazilian Correios and should be sent via Sedex so you can track it. The Corrieos accepts cash, debit cards and the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Elo and Diners.
The address to send passport renewal documents to is:
U.S. Consulate General
in Rio de Janeiro
Attn: Consular Section/ACS
Av. Presidente Wilson 147 – Castelo
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
20030-020
Step 3
After you have mailed out your passport in São Paulo, you need to organize and prepay for your new and old passport to be returned back to you.
You must prepay for the Sedex return of your passports with a specific Correio branch in Rio.
This branch is near the U.S. Consulate in Rio and is organized to deliver prepaid and addressed Sedex envelopes directly to the Consular Section/ACS.
You must send a message to this specific email address in Rio: agfcinelandia@gmail.com to organize the payment and delivery details to get your passport sent back to you in São Paulo. Once the payment has been made, the Sedex in Cinelândia Rio will deliver the envelope directly to the U.S. Consular Section/ ACS Department in Rio.
Below is a sample email you can use to request your return envelopes. (The message mentions 2 passports because I want my new and my expired passport returned to me.)
Subject: Envio de passaportes para São Paulo
Bom dia!
Estou renovando passaportes no consulado do Rio de Janeiro e preciso pagar a taxa de Sedex para enviarem os passaportes de volta para mim em São Paulo. Estou enviando 2 passaportes. Quanto custa para fazer essa remessa?
Meu endereço é:
(Insert your name as it appears on your passport, plus your address)
Vocês poderiam me enviar os detalhes para pagamento por favor?
Obrigada,
(Your Name)The Correio will reply with the cost and the PIX information to transfer payment. (For me, the email came back within 15 minutes and the Sedex fee was R$107,73). You must then provide by reply email the comprovante (PIX receipt) as proof of payment to the Correios. Be sure to include your full name as it appears on your passport with the attached comprovante. For applicants who do not have PIX, Correios can send them a boleto that can be paid in Brazilian reais at any loterica in Brazil.
Once the payment has been made, you will receive an email from the Correios with the Sedex tracking number. Additionally, the U.S. Consulate in Rio will receive your prepaid envelope. Once your passport is ready, they will send it back to you.
Step 4
Wait for your new passport to arrive. It takes approximately four weeks from the time you initially ship your passport to Rio to when it arrives at your home in São Paulo. Please be aware that someone needs to be at the address you requested delivery to in São Paulo to confirm receipt of the Sedex envelope when it arrives. The postman will make three delivery attempts. If he is unable to deliver after three attempts, the envelope will be forwarded to your local post office and where you will need to go in person to pick it up.
Good luck! If you have any questions about passport renewals, please be sure to visit the Passport Services website.
Article written with the help of William W. Whitaker, American Citizen Services, United States Consulate General, São Paulo, Brazil. Image credit: Global Residence Index
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